Importance of helping others

Importance of helping others

Helping others is not only good thing for you, it also makes you happier and healthier. Are you familiar with the ancient Chinese proverb related to helping others stating “ If you want happiness for an hour, take nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody”

Helping others is a crucial part of living a good life. Described below are the reasons why and how assisting others  have a positive effect in our lives.

The concept of helper’s high, it makes you happy: 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

∼ Winston Churchill”

This concept of helper’s high consists of positive emotions and selfless services to others. Increased longevity and greater health care associated with related psychological state. Selflessness, generosity and an extended self favour to successfully confront the challenges we face.

We need to feel like making a positive difference around. Helping others boost our sense of happiness. Studies have proved the increased levels of satisfaction through volunteer work.

In the 1980’s the concept of “helper’s high” started surfacing, encompassing the feeling of selflessness to others, exhilaration, delight and increased energy with a period of serenity and calm. You become a better person by helping others as there is no comparison of good feeling one gets by making a difference in someone’s life.

Researches had proved the returning of euphoric sensation when the individuals remembered the action of helping others. Research has also confirmed that the “helper’s high” is more than just a feeling as the biochemical analysis revealed the positive changes in the body’s immune functioning and lower levels of stress hormones.

When an individual does something out of kindness, the mesolimbic system in the brain is refreshed and activated, which reinforces stimuli releasing “feel-good” neurotransmitters such as vasopressin and oxytocin. Consequently, expression of generosity gives a happy, rewarding and peaceful feeling inside, and the individual is more likely to repeat these correlated behaviours. Scientific research has proved that the same brain area is activated while giving charity, which provides us with the pleasure of fulfilment while having food. Another study revealed that helping others starts the same brain part as experiencing the reward’s joy.

Preexisting moral convictions of people strongly guide generous behaviour. So it makes sense in the limelight of evidence that giving is always accompanied by feelings of compassion and sympathy, emotions linked to moral behaviour.

The importance of benevolent action appears to be a good strategy for personal happiness. Having a definite goal in generosity works best for the giver. This effect doesn’t just apply to the purpose of making someone happy. Instead, it is related to sacred pleasure, self-satisfaction, and a better connection with your creator.

It doesn’t matter whether the goal is designed to benefit the individual, a group or a society; a concrete plan still outperforms the abstract purpose and delivers great happiness to the giver. The concrete goal is better rewarding than a diffused one because it gives more realistic prospects of success. It is because framing a definite goal better anticipates the opportunities and obstacles, making you feel more confident about doing something good for the world instead of merely stumbling on the hope of happiness.

The phenomenon of “Helper’s high” basically releases endorphins which boosts self-esteem.

Mentioned below are the points which explain how helping others benefits you :

Stronger social connections with community and friends: 

 Helping around is not a one-way street where you do something good, and it just vanishes. Instead, “what goes around, comes around” is quite accurate in this regard. When you touch someone’s life, you feel connected to them with a positive bonding. It builds trust and cooperation, which bridges people in affection.

When a person chooses to help others, it is directly proportional to entering their lives in contributing way, reinforcing social connections.

Resilience and better adaptation to adversity and stress 

Helping others help us to manage stress better. By looking at the challenges of life, you become more ready toward accepting the hardships and stress.

Sometimes the perspective of helping culture seems to be lost when you do not keenly give attention to hidden problems of society. All the seemingly carefree glorified lives of celebrities push us in deception, but the mature and sensible among us are those who recognize the fragile ratio of society, which deserves our attention, support and help.

Good for career: 

Many factors are to be thought about while planning a fruitful career. However, among all other perspectives, including creative freedom and autonomy, the biggest one to ponder is how our work will impact others.

People working as religious figures, medical professionals, or psychologists have a higher rate of job satisfaction. The connection among all of these professions is the band of help over the people and society.

Those among us who are more committed to jobs, being happy are more inclined toward helping others-either customers or coworkers. Therefore, even if your job is not related to interacting with people directly, thinking about how it will impact and aid people indirectly will eventually groom you up and refine your empathetic sense and understanding.

Good for business: 

 The goal of an ideal business is not just making money but also finding innovative ways to help people.

Examples:

The creation of Google was to enhance the speed of searching with better results.

Earning of the gym is by providing the place for exercising

Amazon simplifies online shopping and selling to make it easier for people.

Businesses are often shady because they are usually money-driven. So the usage of sneaky tactics for a weaselling way through the system is commonplace in the sphere of corporate raiders. But the companies which are successful infact focus on solving the problems in the cheapest and best way –and the winning results are way more accessible in this way.

Better health and long life:

If you are interested in fulfilling pleasurable life, be a giver. It is concluded by a considerable study of volunteer work as well. The link between helping others and better health is striking as :

• It alleviates depression and makes your mood better
• Good for your mental health
• Lowers the risk of having complicated diseases.

The human being is hard-wired for social interactions, including a lot of eye contact, touch and smiles. Such interactions release oxytocin (hormone helping to bond and care for others) which eventually helps manage stress. Not only this, but caring and helping others makes us feel healthier and happier.

Helps in finding meaning in life : 

There is a link between finding meaning in life and helping others. Helping others creates a sense of purpose in life. It fulfils our most basic needs, such as connecting with others and making a positive difference with our actions.

Infact throughout history, the overarching idea of well-lived life has always been connected to the central feature of the positive act of helping others.

Think about the last time you helped someone, whether it was related to giving charity to people in a devastated state, or holding the door for someone, talking to someone in distress for catharsis or being kind to someone who was out of senses. Recall the feeling you felt while extending the helping hand. You will realize that the fastest way to have joy is by serving others in distress, which in the end, opens up the doors of blessings for you.

Serving others doesn’t just make you feel better. Instead, studies have shown that there are physical and mental health benefits to serving, i.e., reducing depression, lowering blood pressure, producing happy hormones for good mood and lengthening lifespan.

Putting other people’s needs before one own’s strengthens not only the relationships but also elevate the sense of harmony, understanding and much-needed love. It connects you with those you are serving, and if that someone is familiar, it creates an even stronger bond with them. It enriches the lives of people around. Sparing time out of one’s busy day to even bringing someone a bowl of soup when the other person is sick makes a big difference by making them feel better and uplifting them through their rough time.

The beautiful thing about helping others is that it creates a dominos effect compromising positivity, creating and spreading a helpful atmosphere. People receiving help are more likely to do something else valuable for others.

Reasons for helping others: 

If you are looking for love, inner happiness and peace, you should be interested in helping others. Here are mentioned some reasons to help others:

• It boosts your inner peace, self-esteem and happiness
• It creates a meaningful bond with people
• It brings a positive change in your life
• It boosts your mood when your efforts of helping others produce transforming results.
• Helping others impact your career as your employer notices your deed of extending a helping hand around.
• It increases your lifespan.
• It gives spiritual blessings and even gives you a good name and image, resulting in increased love for you in the community.

So taking time out of your busy schedule and helping others will never make you feel disappointed; instead, it peacefully serves you with satisfaction and tranquillity deep in your heart. Though you will first have a little problem, it will be a treasure for your peace of mind and personality in the long run. As you practice dedication in this regard, there is no stopping by. Follow the proverb “where there is a will, there is the way” in this perspective, as maybe you are destined to help others and to grab the absolute blessings from the Lord of the Universe.

Start today: 

How will you start, and who do you start with?

You must be willing to prioritize helping others, wiping away any thought and doubt of whether you will have spare time for that or not because time automatically is adjusted once you are willing to start this sacred journey of considering yourself a source of ease for others.

Secondly, you have to develop a sense of love for others, understanding someone even if his behaviour is disturbing; maybe he has a tough time that he cannot balance and control. Be calmful while understanding the other person’s perspective. Finally, serve others with your decent productive love. It is not a wrong proverb that love conquers hearts. Even deteriorated people become productive, receiving love. A compliment, a hug, lending a listening ear, and giving a pure suggestion or advice are small ways one can show to those in distress or those who have lost their way.

You can volunteer at a charity organization, donate money, clothes or food, help by even doing chores in your house hence lessening the burden of your family members, leave an appreciative note for your coworker for their hard work etc. and much more.

Bring a change in your life and others.